the toll that love takes
by isn't-she-lovelyy
Summary: And she's a whirlwind of ginger curls and charming smiles that are slowly shattering his heart. - -DominiqueOC


_**Disclaimer:**_** I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own the lyrics to the song below. They belong to Maroon 5, who are absolutely amazing, if you were wondering. Andrew Mason, however, is mine. **

**This is my entry for the "Maroon 5 Competition" by Slytherin Cat on HPFC. I had the song **This Love, **the prompts** fantastic, sadness, blue, raspberry jam, and an umbrella.

x

_this love has taken its toll on me  
she said goodbye too many times before_

x

"Dominique!" calls Andrew Mason across the Hogsmeade platform when he spots her, the howling winds muffling his voice. Despite the dreary weather, the sight of her ginger curls flying around her shoulders is able to initiate a small smile out of him.

She murmurs something to her Slytherin friends she is surrounded by, which makes them glower, before lightly jogging to where he stands. "Hi," Dominique breathes, propping her baby blue umbrella higher over the two of them, effectively sheltering both from the rain.

"Hey," he mumbles, leaning down to press a quick kiss to her lips. "How was your summer?"

"Horrific!" she groans melodramatically. When he raises his brows, she hastily adds, "Excluding the week you came to visit, of course."

He laughs, smoothing down her damp curls. "It couldn't have been that bad."

"You don't know my family."

"Well, just so you know, my vacation wasn't all that great either," he says with a small sigh.

The fifth year scoffs. "You went on a cruise all around the Atlantic. How in Merlin's name is that 'not all that great'?"

Smiling coyly down at her, the dark-haired Hufflepuff slings an arm around her shoulders as they begin walking towards the carriages. "I had to go a whole few months without seeing _you_, obviously."

"You're too romantic for your own good." She shoves his shoulder playfully, falling into a quiet fit of laughter beside him.

"You know you love it," he counters teasingly, then gestures towards a few near-empty carriages. "Want to find some seats?"

Smiling sheepishly, she gnaws on her lower lip. "Actually, I was going to sit with the girls," she glances over her shoulder at her Slytherin friends, who are waving frantically for her to come.

Andrew gives a shrug of his shoulders, successfully masking his disappointment with a smile. "That's all right. I'll see you at the feast?"

"Of course," she bobs her head and presses a feather light kiss to his cheek. Then Dominique runs towards her friends waiting in the carriage, leaving him feeling rather deserted and alone standing in the steady downpour.

x

It turns out he _doesn't_ get to see her at the feast. Instead, Dominique accompanies her Prefect friend who brings the newly sorted first years to the Slytherin common room after the feast. Truly, it takes _quite_ a while for him to see her again. Two and a half weeks, to be exact.

"I am _so_ sorry," she apologizes when she catches him leaving the library – she's going in. "I've been real busy lately."

Andrew shrugs and tries to hide his hurt.

"Let's hang out tomorrow, okay?" says the ginger, smiling that charming smile he can't refuse. So he doesn't. "All right, I'll see you on the Astronomy Tower at seven. Promise."

x

She doesn't show. Not at seven, nor at seven thirty. Actually, she doesn't show at all. He knows; he waited. He owls her the next day, but she doesn't reply. His heart sinks. It takes a week to finally get an answer out of her.

_Sorry, Charms homework was over the top. We'll have a picnic in the courtyard this weekend, alright?_

x

Dominique shows up for their picnic, a woven basket full of delicious food she'd snagged from the kitchen. (Those house-elves are almost too willing to give their food away.) She sits down beside her boyfriend after he pats the blanket. And when she smiles the most charming smile he's ever seen, everything comes rushing back and the feeling of abandonment disappears.

Pulling out a baked bun from the basket, she lathers it in jam and takes a bite. "This is _fantastic,_" she gushes. "Almost as good as the ones Roxie makes."

They spend the day outside catching up and Andrew hasn't been happier. He kisses her frequently while she's talking, cutting her off, but she kisses him back and he tastes the flavor of raspberry jam that lingers on her lips.

But his happiness is cut short, because at precisely four o'clock, her friends come running towards them. Dominique grins, completely disregarding the Hufflepuff beside her, and jumps to her feet.

"It's time for roller-skating, Dom," says one of the light-haired Slytherins, who sends Andrew a distasteful look.

"Shoot, I forget. I'll be right there," the ginger replies. She spins, sends Andrew an apologetic look, and presses a kiss to his cheek. "I'll talk to you later, alright?"

"You sure you can't go roller-skating some other time?" he asks quietly.

Dominique raises her brows. "Why would I? I already made plans."

"Never mind, I'll see you later."

And then she's gone, whisked back to her friends in a whirlwind of ginger curls and charming smiles that are slowly shattering his heart.

x

She opens her mouth to speak when she spots him across the Hogsmeade platform, getting ready to board the Hogwarts Express home, but Andrew shakes his head.

"Dominique, we need to talk."

Quirking a brow, she tilts her head in confusion. "About what?"

"I think we…" he pauses because it hurts. It hurts _oh-so _very _bad._ But he keeps going. "I think we need to take a break, Dominique."

Sadness floods into her pretty blue eyes, her lips twisting into a frown. "What?"

"I can't do this anymore, Dom. It's too hard." Andrew tells her, and her expression breaks his heart even further. "You're never around anymore, and I don't think your friends like me, either."

Her eyes turn cold. Her charming smile is replaced by pursed lips, and she shrugs her ginger curls off her shoulder like she doesn't even care. "Fine."

"I… I'll see you later, then?" he asks gingerly, testing out a smile.

She doesn't return it. "Fine," she repeats in the same stone cold manner.

And in a whirlwind of ginger curls and tragic glares, Dominique Weasley has successfully shattered his heart.

x

_and her heart is breaking in front of me  
I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore_

x

_**Author's Note:**_** Blah, I'm so terrible at writing angst. And I love DominiqueAndrew and writing their break-up makes me sad. Oh well. I need to write something longer (fluffier) about the two of them.. Reviews are appreciated! :)**

**Please _don't_ favorite without reviewing, thank you. xox**


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